Summer study abroad
October 28, 2018

China
Students in a study-abroad program in China this summer found that it changed their perceptions of Chinese culture, business, and government and challenged their Western world views, among other things. The program combined lectures, workshops, and visits to businesses and universities with cultural and historic excursions. The group also gained insights from Virginia Tech alumni living and/or working in China.
Europe
The “Business and Culture in Europe” study-abroad program this summer took in many of the most popular cities on the continent. Students compared business and cultural practices and approaches among the countries visited — Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, and Italy — and with the U.S. They examined differences in pricing and products between Europe and home and discussed how their interaction with multiple nationalities affected their experience and the role of an American student abroad. The program was led by business information technology faculty members Lance Matheson and Jay Teets.